Michael A. Orlando

Mr. Orlando's column on maritime law presents the basics for a general understanding of the application of admiralty and maritime law.

Since becoming licensed to practice law in May 1982, Mr. Orlando has practiced maritime law, representing many different maritime interests in a broad spectrum of transactions and claims, in venues throughout Texas and the Gulf Coast. His clients have included ship owners, charterers, agents, stevedores, terminal operators, cargo owners, insurers, a wide variety of marine service and supply companies, financial institutions, and many others involved in maritime commerce.

Mr. Orlando has represented many Lloyd's underwriters and foreign insurers, Fortune 500 companies, and business interests of all sizes, as well as individuals involved with the maritime community. He is board certified in both civil pretrial practice and civil trial advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and has tried cases throughout Texas in federal and state courts as well as in administrative tribunals. Mr. Orlando is also an adjunct professor teaching pretrial litigation at the University of Houston Law School. His litigation experience includes being lead counsel in a case involving over $100 million in alleged damages from inception through oral argument in the US Supreme Court.

Mr. Orlando has been the chairman of the Board of Directors and head of the Executive Committee of the nonprofit Houston International Seafarers Center, known throughout the world as one of the finest centers for visiting seaman. He is an active member of the Propeller Club of the United States and the Houston Mariners Club, in which he served as chairman in 1991. He was also the chairman of The Houston Port Safety Advisory Council in 1992.

Mr. Orlando has been member of the Maritime Law Association of the United States since 1982. He is a Proctor member of that organization and presently serves on the Marine Insurance Committee as well as the Offshore Industries Committee. He has written and lectured extensively on marine and insurance topics. In addition, Mr. Orlando has been the chair of the American Bar Association, Tort and Insurance Practice Section, Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee, and the Corporate Counsel Committee. He also served as the chair of the International/London Market Committee of the State Bar of Texas, Insurance Law Section. He is also a member of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel of DRI (formerly the Defense Research Institute).

Mr. Orlando is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Texas, with a degree in honors business program and finance and a juris doctorate degree from the University of Houston Law Center.